go under

verb

went under; gone under; going under; goes under

intransitive verb

1

: sink entry 1 sense 1a

The ship went under in the storm.

2

: to be overwhelmed, destroyed, or defeated : fail

The company went under during the recession.

Examples of go under in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the age-old act of going under the knife retreats into the background, the next cohort of treatments is waiting in the wings. — Amy Francombe, Vogue, 17 July 2026

Drivers will not be able go under the interstate as workers construct bridges. — Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 17 July 2026

The Multiplina is expected to reach up to 55 mph (88 km/h), which is the fastest a car can go under the L7 regulations. — New Atlas, 17 July 2026

Listed for $360,000 by Carswell’s team lead, Dianna Caldwell, the three-bedroom home went under contract after just one week on the market. — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for go under

• asunder
• blunder
• bunder
• funder
• plunder
• sunder
• thunder